Moscow: Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov announced on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a virtual meeting earlier in the day to discuss the geopolitical situations in Cuba, Iran, and Venezuela.
According to Anadolu Agency, Ushakov revealed that the meeting, which lasted 1 hour and 25 minutes, was substantive and focused on urgent international issues. The opening remarks by the presidents were broadcast live on the Russian state TV channel Rossiya-24. Ushakov highlighted that special attention was given to the tense situation in Iran, with Putin updating Xi on his recent conversation with Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary, Ali Larijani, in Moscow.
The leaders also reviewed their strategies regarding Venezuela and Cuba, advocating for continued cooperation with Caracas and Havana. This follows recent actions by US President Donald Trump, who signed an executive order declaring a national emergency and establishing a process to impose tariffs on countries providing oil to Cuba. The US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and subsequent statements by Trump have raised concerns about Cuba's future as it faces the loss of Venezuelan support.
Pressure on Tehran over its nuclear program has also intensified, especially after the outbreak of anti-government protests. Additionally, Ushakov stated that Putin and Xi exchanged views on Asia-Pacific regional issues and US relations. They shared similar assessments of US President Trump's initiative to create a Board of Peace, emphasizing the importance of cooperation based on international law and the UN Charter.
The discussion also touched on the unprecedented level of Russia-China partnership, with agreements on establishing permanent bilateral consultation mechanisms to address emerging challenges and threats. Russia expressed support for China's initiative to create a global organization for artificial intelligence cooperation, while China backed ongoing trilateral talks on Ukraine in Abu Dhabi.
Lastly, Xi invited Putin to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen in November, and Putin accepted an invitation to visit China in the first half of the year.